Month: February 2016

“I’ve been to see my GP about my injury and the GP has told me to just rest for 6 weeks & take painkillers, isn’t that enough?”

Our response is: “Do you want to rest for 6 weeks? Can you afford to rest for 6 weeks?”

Yes, some injuries will just improve by themselves with a bit of rest and some painkillers. But what constitutes ‘rest’? What if it’s not getting better in 6 weeks? What effect will ‘rest’ have on the rest of my body?

This advice can often throw up more questions than solutions.

By seeking expert guidance and advice at the early stages of an injury, you are more likely to:

Keep being able to do the things you physically enjoy doing

Prevent any secondary problems developing from enforced rest or not moving properly

Speed up your recovery

Prevent future reoccurrence of your injury

At goPhysio, we will be able to reassure you what you should & shouldn’t be doing to help your recovery. We spend a long time with you 1-2-1 to fully understand your problem & answer all your questions. You’ll go away knowing exactly what is wrong with you & exactly how to help it get better. NOW – NOT IN 6 WEEKS!

The result is – a speedier recovery, getting back to what you want to be doing quicker & without the worry of the unknown.

There’s nothing worse than sitting around worrying about what may be wrong & whether you’re doing the right thing, we’ll alleviate your fears. Something has obviously caused your pain or injury and that needs to be addressed to help you longer term.

Our Physio and Sports Therapy service is direct referral, that means you can just give us a call and book your appointment with one of our experts, without having to wait and see your GP.

You can do this online now here 24/7, so whenever you make the decision, you can act on it.

If you’re not sure whether we can help, do get in touch. We’re more than happy to chat through your individual case and point you in the right direction.

We seem to spend more and more hours behind the wheel, driving long distances for work, travelling or ferrying the kids around! Poor ergonomics and sitting in the same position behind the wheel for long periods of time can lead to much discomfort. Back, neck, shoulder and leg pain are all too common complaints.

Top Tips To Avoid Pain
1 – When choosing a new car, take several long test drives before you make your decision. People and cars are different shapes, so you need to find one that fits you best. The seat should be firm and well contoured to suit you. Fabric seats are better at helping you maintain the correct posture than leather.
2 – Set up your driving position to minimise the strain on your body (see below). Remember, if you share the car, adjust the position when the drivers change.
3 – Take regular breaks when you can if you’re doing a long drive. The Highway Code recommends at least a 15 minute break every 2 hours. When you do break, get out, have a walk and do some stretches. Circle your shoulders, rotate your neck and stretch your legs.
4 – Make sure your headrest is adjusted correctly. The top of your headrest should be aligned with the top of your head. This is crucial to minimise any injury to your neck in the event of an accident.
5 – Whilst you are driving, fidget in your seat a little every few minutes. Even some movement helps relieves built up tension.
6 – Keep a symmetrical position. Avoid twisting or bending to the side, habits we easily fall into that put extra strain on the body.

How to set up your driving position
• Start with your seat in the factory position with the steering wheel fully up and forward and your seat set at it’s lowest position with the cushion tilted down.
• Recline the back rest approximately 30 degrees from vertical and the seat positioned right back.
• Now start making the adjustments. First raise your seat as high as comfortable to give maximum vision of the road and adequate head clearance from the roof.
• Move the seat forwards until you can fully depress the foot pedals. Knees should be slightly bent with your left knee remaining bent when clutching.
• Elbows should be bent around 30-40 degrees when your hands are in the ’10 to 2’position.
• Adjust the cushion tilt angle so your thighs are fully supported and there is no pressure behind your knees.
• Recline your seat very slightly so your back is fully supported. If there is a built in lumbar support, adjust this so it provides support in the natural hollow of your back. It may be necessary to use additional lumbar support like a specialist lumbar roll.

Any activity that involves prolonged positions, no matter how good your posture is, can cause excessive strain on the body, that over time can lead to pain or injury. Make sure you take part in a range of physical activities and follow advice to balance out any impact.

If you are suffering with discomfort and you think your driving is playing a part, we can offer individualised guidance and support, including a car assessment to check your driving set up. Just give us a call.

goPhysio has been recognised with an award for excellent customer service by healthcare search engine WhatClinic.com, based on feedback by customers over a twelve month period.

The award is based on feedback from patients, and combines scores for excellent customer service and timely consumer f
eedback. Customers rated clinics based on how well the clinic treated them, how quickly they were contacted and seen, and how happy they were with the treatment.

goPhysio’s Non-Clinical Director, Fiona today said

“We are delighted to be recognised for our commitment to customer service. We work really hard to provide a supportive, friendly and caring environment for all our customers. It’s such a crucial part of the care we provide and it’s great to be recognised for what we do.”

WhatClinic.com CEO Caelen King congratulated goPhysio and said

“This is the 7th year we have run these awards. Every year, the standard goes up and up – and I’m delighted to recognise those clinics that are putting the needs of the patient first, every single day.
It’s the customer who selects our awards winners, by their clinic ratings and the feedback they leave about service and experience. We believe that empowering the patient with accurate information is the future of a successful healthcare market.”